Ravenchild Prologue
by The Moon Mistress
Summary: Prologue to the story. It's longer for a prologue, but it's a sort of intro/background thing.


10

Prologue

**Even now, I still regret what happened to my parents. Though it wasn't directly my fault, perhaps things would've been different if I had been there…no, of course not. Their fate, **_**our **_**fate, had been decided, and nothing I could have done would have changed a thing. What could a nineteen year-old girl have done if monsters attacked her family while she was away? Nothing. In fact, I should have died with them, but I did not. I still do not know whether to be thankful, or throw myself into the flames after them, because that is the only thing that could kill me now.**

** Ah, you must wonder why I am immune to death, now that I've mentioned my only weakness. Well, the day my parents died, I became a vampire. An immortal creature of the night, who feeds on the blood of the living. It has its perks I must admit, but I had no choice in the matter. Fate had my name under that particular category, and I doubt there was anything that could've been done to change it. In fact, I'm sure it was inevitable. **

** The life of a vampire. I am sure many have been lucky enough to live it good and get the most out of it. Well, I have gotten much out of it, make no mistake. But it's been a fight for my life much of the time. Danger around every corner and all that. Disappointing really. Though at the time, being a vampire was not as grand as you would have thought. **

** I suppose I've kept you long enough, so I will explain what I mean by that. During the time I lived, vampires were demon spawn, devil cohorts, that killed and drank the blood of the innocent living. During that time, sadly, most did not dissuade mortals from that story. In Europe, it was especially bad, purges all throughout the continent. The stories were worse in Transylvania and those countries, where the demons were supposed to have originated. So to be a vampire, people thought you were damned and cursed the moment the fang entered your body. That is what I had admittedly assumed at first.**

** Anyway, let us get to the story of how I came to be. I am Selene Astrid Ravenfang. I was nineteen in the year 1716, born in the year 1695 in northern England. I was the only daughter to my parents, the Lord Artemis Stellone Ravenfang and his Lady Luna Astrial Ravenfang. I honestly believe we were Greek of blood, but I was never told. We lived on the Ravenfang Estates, a fifty-thousand acre piece of land that was very close to the ocean. We were very secluded from cities and court, so my parents were very free to raise me however they wished. So while I retained my lady-like traits to please my mother, I got learn and do many things girls of my age and status could never dream of doing: hunting, riding, swimming, anything a boy was capable of doing, I could do, too. It made me strong for a girl. To my mother's half-hearted displeasure, I took sport in arm wrestling the guards of the house (I could hold them for up to five minutes before my arm went weak), and would hunt with the boy servants who helped the cook fetch birds and venison for supper. My mother wanted me to be a bred lady, but I think my parents were quiet proud of me.**

** We were a happy family, us and our servants. We helped with the cleaning, gardening and everything—all of us together. We all ate together, spent time with one another in the evenings, helped the sick. We were one huge clan. My family was the sort to just roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty with everyone. Despite this, we were rather popular with the court, and the people that lived just outside our estates appreciated it when we assisted them in their toils. Even my lady mother, the biggest female of the house, would not pitch a fit when the hems and sleeves of her dresses were soiled from dirt and dust.**

** It was one night during a family reading time when we received word that my best friend, Seraphina DeLarek, had just gotten married and invited me to the celebration. I was elated; she was two years my junior. I wasn't a type that wanted to marry until I found someone to fit my tastes. My parents didn't mind this, but were a little stressed from the pressure of the court to marry me off. **

** Anyway, I begged my parents to let me go. Now, this was a rather…sensitive subject with my parents: me leaving the estates alone. They were very protective of me. In fact, they were also rather paranoid, too.**

** Now, this requires a whole new explanation. There was a reason I was allowed to know how to use weapons. In the house, past the formal but simple décor of flowers, nature scenes and tapestries, weapons consisting of swords, axes, and knives wrought of bronze everywhere. No matter where I went, there was a glinting weapon within easy reach. When I went farther out on the grounds, I always had an escort. And even my subdued and gentle mother carried with her a bronze knife, always. They were also rather jumpy. Any loud noises put them on edge, and nighttime was a nervous time. I never really scrutinized it as a child, but now that I understand why, every tense moment stands out like a flame.**

** It took much coaxing, but they finally allowed me to go without an escort. They seemed to think I was safer in the city, which would have been silly if not for the circumstances. I was so excited, I overlooked their sadness.**

** The next day, I was packed and ready. The celebrations would last a week at least. I was prepared for that amount of time. Despite my excitement to see the city, I was too used to the countryside to stay for longer than a week. It was around midday. The servants were lined up with my parents to bid me goodbye. My favorite of the guards, Rodric, would be my driver. He escorted me past them, pausing as I embraced them one at a time. Finally, I came to my parents, who both hugged me tightly, repeating "I love you, Selene, my girl.". How I wish now that I could go back to that moment and stay there. But of course, in my youthful enthusiasm, I was eager to leave. I said half-hearted "I love you's" and was escorted out into the carriage with Rodric. **

** The celebrations were amazing. The best food, music, dancing, men, and just fun. Seraphina was a brilliant beauty as always, especially next to her handsome new husband, Charles Verak. Even after the five day celebration, I stayed with her for two extra days to reacquaint with each other, and get to know Charles, who was one of the kindest men I have ever known. **

** I left on the eighth day. I longed for the quiet of the countryside, the distant sounds of ocean and storms, the garden, the sight of a horizon unbroken by stone and smoke. Rodric drove me home, a two day trip, since the shorter way had been flooded by a storm. I was content enough, back in the presence of life-long familiarity. We talked the whole time, and I sat with him at the front of the carriage through almost all of the trip except to sleep.**

** On day three, I saw the borders. The familiar lines of oak and pine and ash nurtured my senses like elixir. Birds, squirrels, and water…their constant chatter caressed my ears like music. Rodric smiled at my happy sigh and we began to sing old folk songs together, rising ruckus with the animals who seemed to join us.**

** It was such a happy time, but that was just part of the cruelty. When we reached outside the house, no one was out to greet us. We were puzzled, but thought nothing more of it as Rodric helped me from the carriage. I kissed him and ran inside as he went to replace the horses. There was no one within. I searched everywhere. No one. It was cold and lightless, for there were no fires. Fine layers of dust had collected. I was confused. My mother always made sure the house was spotless, and we were not a dirt bunch. Father always wanted a lit house. Then, the bud of dread that had taken seed died as I remembered I hadn't checked the garden. I dismissed my previous, but obvious, worries.**

** The garden was everyone's favorite place. It was carefully tended, and flourished with trees, flowers, and shrubs. Fountains and statues, ponds and trails, hedges and small animals decorated the beautiful space, all enclosed within walls of oaks and willows. I rushed out and, seeing no one immediately, knew exactly where to go. There was a certain fountain surrounded by benches, where everyone went when it was bright and glorious like it was today. It was made of some pearly-like stone that illuminated beautifully when the sun hit it and the water. It was shaped like a tree trunk with branches extending from the center and ravens dotted the branches, spewing water. It was custom made for the family.**

** I ran, calling for everyone by name. But I was discouraged when strict silence met me from everywhere. That throbbing bud reappeared within my stomach. I slowed my pace considerably, beginning to cringe at every sound, the silence was so thick. Snapping twigs, crunching leaves, the growing sound of ravens in the distance. **

** The glow of the fountain shined through the trees and I ran. My heart hammered, almost deafening me. And then…my screaming did.**

** Blood. Dead bodies. **_Everywhere_**. I fell to my knees and screamed and cried and screamed. There were all the servants, all in an indecent pile, as if their throats had been ripped out, then their bodies thrown aside. Actually, that's exactly what had happened. Agony ripped its way up my body, burning everything as it slithered over it. It felt as if some serpent coated in hell was eating my heart, tearing it away and leaving only blackness. Then, I saw what finally did me in: mother and father.**

** Mother's beautiful black and sapphire dress was torn and bloodied, her neck ripped out, gashes covering her beautiful white body, which had been thrown into the fountain. Her blood tainted the water, and the white ravens seemed to have been coughing up blood. More of her blood had been spattered over the white fountain, making it a strangely pretty pink that made me want to vomit.**

**Her usually bright blue eyes filled with soothing gentleness were as empty and dark as the jewels at her throat. Sobbing with every inch of my being, I pulled her from the fountain. She was so light, but I could tell the weight of death had made her more of a burden, that and my own sorrow. I laid her on the ground and stroked her face. Her hair was white with wet sun glare. I closed her eyes and wailed. **

** I had to get to father now. He was more decently laid out, as if he'd collapsed over the bench. His neck hadn't been ripped out, but he'd been hurt badly. Blood poured like a waterfall from a hole in his head. It spread over the stone and onto the grass. All his limbs lay straight, as if he'd been set there, but one arm hung off, clenching onto something, even in death. I uncurled his fingers and my sorrow was fresh anew. In his hand was the strange green stone I had given to him when I was five. We had been hunting, and I'd found it near the carcass of the swan I'd shot. He'd kept it in a sheath with his dagger ever since. To think that he'd held to it so tightly when and as he died…**

** I leaned over him and cried. Everyone was dead…**

** I shot straight. Not **_everyone_**.**

** Rodric. The stable hands. They'd been alive when I had returned home! I ran, hoping for a light in this pit of grief. I cried Rodric's name, screaming for help. I was well into the trees, nearing the house as fast as I could, when creaking from above stopped me in my tracks. My head shot up, my eyes searching for the source. The sky had darkened, another storm coming in. Mixed with the thickness of the canopy, I couldn't really see. I began again. "Rod—"**

** There it was again, accompanied with the crash of leaves. I looked up and gasped. There hung Rodric, more guards, and the stable hands, by ropes. Their throats, like everyone else's, had been torn, and blood poured like rain onto my shocked face. I screamed and ran back to my parents. I could feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and I spat, crying hysterically. I choked on that which I had accidentally swallowed. Even now, I still see Rodric's dark, lifeless form swinging from a branch, his blood raining down on me.**

** When I had returned to the initial carnage, the pile of servants was gone, leaving just a pool of blood as evidence they had been there. I fell to my knees. They were playing with my head, whoever they were. Playing with me. I held my head in my hands and cringed in on my self, rocking and wailing.**

** But I didn't have the time to grieve to myself. There was a loud rustle. I gasped and looked up quickly. There was no one. I began to breathe with a rasp. There it was again behind me. I jumped to my feet, stumbling on the hem of my dress. It ripped loudly, reminding me of the torn throats and I gagged again. I glanced around, my eyes flicking to everything in sight. Again. Again. I began spinning, flipping to catch sight of whatever seemed to be stalking me.**

** Then, it finally grabbed a fistful of hair, picked me up, and threw me into a nearby tree. I folded back against the tree and fell. I am surprised my spine had not snapped. I gasped for air as it left my lungs in a rush I could feel in my chest. Pain blossomed in my back. My body had left a dent in the wood, and splinters poked at my flesh through my dress. As I struggled to breathe and stand, my hair was abruptly grabbed again. I was hefted up, kicking as I coughed for air, and thrown again in to another tree. This time, I went right through it and the tree collapsed with a groan. I couldn't moan, couldn't breathe. The aching agony was too much to bear. Why couldn't I just die? Why wasn't I dead yet? Any attack like this would kill anyone. Yet despite it all I still had some gauge of strength that I wonder at even now.**

** I did not even move, even when I felt the hand grasp my hair yet again. I hung limp from the gigantic hand, and I was tossed like a doll into the fountain. The cold water felt almost like relief on my burning body. But I knew the release wouldn't last. I was lifted up, but instead of being tossed inhumanly across the garden, I was dropped to the ground. At this point, I was in too much pain to yelp. Above me, I heard voices. Several male voices, as if they had just popped out of mid-air.**

** "Hm, this one will be fun, I can tell," said a bass voice, directly above me. Somehow, I didn't know how, but I connected that voice to the hand that had caused me all my current pain. I wished many terrible things on him and he kicked me once, as if he had heard me.**

** "Ah, but Casper," said a smoother, slicker voice. It was gently scolding, as if the man had done no more than spilled his wine "I think you've ruined that pretty little face."**

** There was a strong but gentler hand at my arm and I was lifted easily into sitting position. I had no choice but to look up now. Around me was about ten or eleven men. All of them wore raggedy, workman clothes. But there was a regal air to them all. They weren't just workmen. And the sly edge to the latter one made him seem almost royal. **

** "Who cares? She is Ravenfang's spawn: she is impure."**

** Impure? What did that mean? I sat there, staring up at them with my burning, raw eyes. My head felt extremely light, and I wondered why I had not fainted yet.**

** "She has their eyes, Cornelius," said another lackey to the smooth leader. "They all have those eyes."**

** I suppose my family's eyes were unique; a golden yellow. My mother had them too, but hers were more brown. My father's and mine were the true golden color. But what about them made my family so special as to kill them?**

** "Pretty little thing," said the leader—Cornelius. He knelt to meet my eye level. A sly, mocking smile distorted his beautiful face. They were all beautiful. Beautiful but dangerous. They had killed my family. "Tell me, pet," he asked me almost friendlily. "What is your name? Hopefully as pretty as you."**

** There were some sighs and grunts behind him. He turned on them and snarled, sounding exactly like a beast. They were all strong and pale. What demons be these?**

** Seeing no way to ignore him without receiving pain as punishment, I rasped, "Selene."**

** "Ah, **_very _**pretty," he cooed, smiling. "A Greek name. It seems your whole family was named for the moon, how interesting." I did not think it was interesting. I knew he was only mocking me. The way his eyes appraised me made me want to squirm. "You are just beautiful are you not? Your mother was pretty, too. Especially her scream. And with her own blood coating her skin—"**

** I don't remember what happened next, only that there was blurring and that I had attacked Cornelius, snarling and scratching like an animal. My teeth had hurt. He seemed stunned for a minute, then snarled even louder. He stretched back an arm and back-handed me, right back into the fountain. But a second later, I was right back out, moving at inhuman speed. I had heard of the wonders of adrenaline, but this? I gazed at myself, awed.**

** Then there was a hand at my throat. All courage I had had born from anger and vengeance was gone now, leaving only fear and pain. Cornelius's sneering face pushed into mine. "Pretty **_and _**feisty." His voice was no longer smooth and calm. Now it was angry and threatening, full of menace. "We shall put you in your place, **_Selene _**Ravenfang."**

** I was thrown into another tree. I was beginning to hate trees and I could not move. All my previous, spontaneous strength seemed to have disappeared. The other men began to laugh. Cornelius turned to the tall brute that had tossed me around before. "You may have the honors, Casper," he told him, glaring back at me. I noticed his eyes were especially bright. "She should easily submit to your fangs."**

** Fangs? Casper was suddenly there above me, smiling cruelly down at me. He pulled me up, twisted me around fiercely, and then jerked my neck to the side to expose it. I felt lips at my throat. "I hope you taste as good as you look, pretty one."**

** Sharp, tearing pain ripped into my neck. I couldn't scream, because my voice seemed to no longer work. I wheezed and made odd little clicking noises in my throat as realization dawned on me with each new tear of the fantastical canines shoving through my flesh. **_Vampire…they are vampires. They killed my family, and now they are killing me. _**What happened next I do not exactly remember, except that I was wishing death would come fast so I could join my family again. It was all so fast and chaotic and unnatural.**

**I remember the vicious fangs being ripped from my neck and collapsing to the ground. A shadow stood above me as the clouds rolled in, threatening a storm. There were voices, but muffled, and I knew I was either dying or passing out. The sky was the last thing I saw, a single drop a rain falling right into my left tear duct, falling like the many I had shed. The last thing I heard was the frightening sounds of wolves fighting, their snarling and growling so animalistic, it had to have been beasts.**

**. . .**

Waking up, I remember it being dark, but I was on a bed, not the ground. My pain was gone, there was a fire, and there was a distinct sound of thunder and rain. The storm had come, and I was at home in bed, not out in the bloody garden. Not with Cornelius and his smooth voice, or Casper and his rough hands. It had all been a bad dream. I knew it. It was all well again. Smiling, I stretched and sat up, expecting light and my maid, Clarissa, to be there to plump me up from my nap. My heart sank. This was not my room. In fact, I had no idea where I was. It must have been some sort of cabin, because it was small and had plain, wooden walls. The bed was suddenly hard, and I could feel every bit of hay that stuffed the farmer's mattress, and there was only a fireplace in the room, where two dark figures stood. I gasped and grasped at my covers. They turned to face me and their features became clearer, even in the darkness of the room. In fact, I could see another figure in the corner, hiding in the shadows. But they were not the men. In fact, it was two men and a woman. The ones by the fire were by my side in an instant. All I saw were blurs. Surprisingly, their speed did not frighten me…not after the torments of Cornelius and his men.

The man spoke first. "You are awake. How do you feel?"

He had a kind voice and face, with bright blue eyes and dark hair of shoulder length. He was of a handsome sort. It took me some time to answer, but I managed to give him my name. I did not really know how I felt.

"Ah, Selene," he said. "Unique. A Greek name if I am not mistaken. I am Aaron, Aaron Wolftalon. This here is my Lifemate, Colleena Mason." The girl smiled kindly. She was pale, red haired, and green-eyed, and a beauty she would have been in court. But from their names alone I could derive a bit more information on them. Aaron was of some aristocratic family, maybe even royalty. The girl, Scarlette, was of a merchant or peasant house. Yet they were…_Lifemates_. The term was unfamiliar, but maybe it meant they had been married. How did such a thing happen?

Aaron smiled. "Indeed, it is like marriage. And yes, I am of a noble family." I stared in awe until he said, "Yes, I can read your mind. You will be able to do that soon, too. All vampires can."

That made me stiffen in unbidden fear. "Vampire?"

They were silent, and nervous. The woman, Colleena, gave Aaron a reprimanding look. "So much for taking it easy, Aaron." Her accent was subtle, but she was quite obviously Irish. Aaron looked sheepishly at me. "Ah, yes. You were dying when we found you, Selene. I used…some of my vampiric blood to put you to rights again. You are all healed up and newer than before."

That explained the lack of pain. My back no longer ached and the burning at my throat was gone. I touched my neck and felt a steady line from where Casper's fangs had ripped through my flesh there. Aaron again looked sheepish. "Those will never heal fully, I am sorry to say. I have a few myself, see?" He pulled down his collar to reveal all sorts of marks that looked how mine felt. Looking at his reminded me of how Casper's had felt in my neck. I winced and cringed away from them.

The figure in the back came forward, concern etched on every feature. He looked much like Colleena, his hair a bit more blonde, and his eyes a bit more grayer than green. Colleena frowned. "We are frightening her." Aaron quickly replaced his collar and the other man sat down. Colleena stared at me a moment, then looked back at the other boy. "This is my brother, Selene. My younger brother, Johnathan." She spoke to me like one might speak to an animal: quietly, slowly, gently, as if afraid I would run away. Johnathan smiled timidly at me. My mouth quirked and this seemed to lighten them.

"I do not understand what is going on," I said hesitantly. "You said…I am a monster now?"

"No not a monster," said Aaron earnestly. "Those…beasts you saw earlier, they were the monsters. You are not a monster; nor are we. We do not have to be if we do not want to be." He sighed. "But yes, you are a vampire now. I am sorry if you are upset, but we did not want you to die at their hands. Especially after what we saw them do to your family."

My breath caught in my throat. Aaron immediately looked guilty and glanced to Colleena for help. "Please, Selene," she pleaded. "We are trying to be as delicate as we can right now. I know this is troubling: Johnathan and I had to do this too, when we died and changed. Show strength as you did earlier. Please, we just wish to help you."

She sounded as if she was in genuine pain. I choked back the tears and sobs that wanted to break free and nodded to her. Johnathan spoke up with a rich, deeply accented voice. "I think she is taking this quite well, actually."

I was. I had some instinctual feeling that it was the way I supposed to be. I still wanted to die to be with my family, but I was grateful to be alive, too. So I decided what these monsters had to say. If I was a vampire now, I needed to know what exactly what I was.

"Do not worry," said Aaron. "We will tell you everything you need to know. In fact, with your permission, of course," he glanced to the others for their consent, and they all just nodded. "We want you to join us, and become one of our coven. You are but an orphan now, and we would be happy to take you in. We can help you. We _want_ to."

"Are you not afraid of those monsters who tried to kill me? What if they come for you?" I did not know them, yet I did not want my family's fate to become theirs. Even though they were demons, they seemed to be kind demons…if that made sense. Then again, much did not make sense to me at that time.

"That," said Colleena, "Is exactly why we want you here. We are after them for killing others of our kind. It is not just anyone though, mostly powerful vampire families and clans that liked to remain secluded from our world. Why they were after you, we wish to find out as much as you do. We would be honored. We have heard of the Ravenfangs before. A good family, kind and hard working, with power."

"Truly, honored," added Johnathan. Aaron nodded in agreement. I gave some thought, then: "What is a coven?"

Aaron answered with a certain smile. "A coven is a group of vampires that live together. Hunt together. Protect each other. A vampire family, if you will." _A family_…

I think we all know what the answer was. Though the situation was far from rational, it was he only rational decision. I truly was a vampire now; I'd healed all of my own wounds, I now had fangs, my senses were much clearer, more enhanced, I felt stronger. Aaron had even stabbed me, just to prove it to me. Slightly painful, but alive. I had nowhere else to go, and I knew not what being a vampire involved, except for the blood and the immortality. Thankfully, I went with them.

I learned from them that there was much more to being a creature of the night: The laws, the politics, and the natural processes that came with the change. How I could no longer bear children, how I was immune to any disease, how my strength, speed, and abilities would grow stronger and become more apparent with age. How a vampire also derived their own natural powers or talents that were unique to them. They were also the only friends I had for centuries forward. My only family, and for that I was grateful to them.

There was a lot of moving around at first, trying to avoid places where vampiric superstition would get us killed. Vampires had very vulnerable hearts, and fire was always a fun toy. But it got better, especially since Aaron—at my request—brought me my father's green stone on a chain to wear around my neck. It never leaves my neck, even now. And because Aaron-who was the blood donor to all of us-was so much older then us, his blood gave us an extra boost in strength and protection.

Around 1820, we moved to America for a change of scene. Vampire tales weren't huge here, but the witch stories were. Several friends died during that time. Racism was huge there too. Blacks were severely beaten and almost killed. We saved many of them, which was a reason for the success rate of runaway slaves. Some saw t as damnation, as they were deeply devout to God, and killed themselves. Most saw it as a blessing from God, or just an outright blessing, and made better of their lives. And there were the few who decided on revenge against the families that had caused them so much pain. Several esteemed white families died during those years. I feel no shame.

Then the epic Civil War began. We were wandering around an abandoned war scene, trying to find any wounded we could save. We had developed the habit of doing this: helping the dying, changing them, letting them have a second chance to live again…with their consent of course: Not many took it as well as I had, going back to the slaves who had thought themselves devil spawn. Our coven is probably responsible for seventy-five percent of the vampire population in the U.S. today. It was near the end of the war, I think about 1864. We found a wounded soldier that needed a full transfusion transition. We took him home with us, and he was barely alive. He woke once, and I had been so taken with the silver eyes he had, I had decided I would be the one to change him. When he awoke, he asked if he was in heaven, and if I was his guardian angel. Oh how my heart soared when he said that. When I told him what was really going on, he did not mind a bit. He seemed to have been infatuated with me on sight. His name was Darius Hawthorne, and he was a Yankee soldier fighting for the rights of slaves. Only two years my senior, and a soldier. I felt such a pride and attraction to him. Scarlette tells me even now how lucky I was to find love at first sight. I look at it now, and it really was. From the moment he set eyes on me, I loved him, and he always tells me that the moment he woke up from his change, he always thought of me as his savior, his and only his. I was only his, and I always would be. It was only fifty years later that we bonded as Lifemates: and eternal marriage—no divorce, no papers. Just a bond of blood that would make me his, and him mine.

We wandered for years, experiencing the good and the bad of America. I never had to worry about the Rogues again—the vampires Cornelius led. We received nothing from or about them. Now, with the vampire population growing, all we had to really worry about were the increasing growth of VanHelsings and wannabe hunters. But even though we were the superior race, they knew enough about us to be able to kill newer vampires.

Around the end of the year 2010, we decided we needed to settle for a year or ten. Scarlette loved the idea of going to a university. So, while we were in Ohio anyway, we decided to go up to Akron: weather was fair enough, the arts program was decent, and Johnathan researched it dry, finding no big threat of VanHelsing. There would have been a better chance we would be killed by gangs than vampire hunters. Plus, there was tons of drug activity and there were clubs that would be perfect for feeding. We preferred the drug-ridden and drunks so there was less chance of them feeling pain and remembering…and it gave us a nice kick. We cannot technically get high or drunk, but when we get it from a concentrated hit from blood, we could get an essence of it.

We also heard that the scenery would be a nice change. At the time, we had been living in Vegas, extending our fortunes. Despite the fact that we were centuries old, Aaron and I still had all of our estates and funds in our name, we just had to go back every fifty or so years to renew it, saying a grandparent had passed. Darius even had some inheritance left—including a house and farmland—because he had been part of a somewhat wealthy family. But back to what I was saying, we were extending our riches. We were probably trillionaires by then. Vegas was a beautiful place, but we all began to long again for forests and birds and the smell of wet earth. Johnathan had everything in order within a month, even false diplomas, credits, and transcripts from Lincoln High School.

The trip wasn't terribly long, though we did pass a couple storms along the way. I could feel my heart sing as I saw the transition from desert to grassy to green. Though going through our way up to Summit County, our ears popped and clouded at the change of elevation. But the trees and forests, and even the occasional deer greeted us everywhere.

Akron isn't the brightest looking of places. The buildings were old looking, streets were not in the best condition. However, at the promise of so much plant life and water…it wasn't _exactly _like England and the sea, but I could feel myself back in the forests dotting the Ravenfang land. There was an abundance of bugs, squirrels, and birds. It was in the middle of summer when we first came to Akron, so it was hot but humid, way different from Vegas's hot and dry weather. We were down to scant tank tops and swim bottoms by the time we finally reached an area called Copley, which wasn't too far from Downtown and the University. We knew it wasn't the best neighborhood, which would make it a decent enough cover in case there were any accidents. Plus, they had a small sub-sub-neighborhood called Foxtail's Square, where there were several wealthier looking houses. We would live in one called the Henrys Mansion, a building that had remained empty for decades.

We would be an abnormality within that neighborhood, and not just because we were buying an old abandoned mansion. We had taken a liking to the 80s, especially the Goth periods. So, since nowadays it was an ordinary thing to see Gothic college kids, we took back up our black mantles. But we new that we would still look strange. Aaron didn't approve of the 'blend in' look most vampires followed, so we decided to be secret by sticking out. Good enough policy I guess, but we all had a theory Aaron was crazy.

I guess the true brunt of the story starts here. We moved in, got everything at the school settled, got all our cars, everything was set. Aaron thought we would be safe here, and we all trusted him. But it is here where my story really take up. Now, the true tale begins.


End file.
